Privacy on Internet networks is a very important issue in the present scenario. Keeping it in mind FCC formulated the broadband privacy rules last year for the sake of safeguarding peoples privacy and social life. Now that same law is under the threat of loosing its existence after the Senate is ont the verge of nullifying its clauses. These rules were preventing ISPs to gain access to users sensitive information like their browsing history without their knowledge.
This does sound a strange move because nobody should actually be entitled to breach someones personal space, specially not ISPs. Even some eminent Senators like Massachusetts’ Ed Markey, who was a part of creating the 1996 Telecommunications Act, openly opposed the decision.
The votes of senate went in the favor of S.J. 34 by a close margin of 50:48, which would negate the privacy rules, and the authority of the Congressional Review Act will prevent the enactment of any similar rule. The decision has now been passed to the house for approval.
In a joint statement FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and FTC Commissioner Terrell McSweeny said;
If signed by the President, this law would repeal the FCC’s widely-supported broadband privacy framework, and eliminate the requirement that cable and broadband providers offer customers a choice before selling their sensitive, personal information.
Nathan White, Senior Legislative Manager at Access Now, pronounced;
This resolution is a vote for big corporate profits over the rights and civil liberties of average people. The House of Representatives must now stand up for consumers and against the CRA resolution to throw away internet privacy protections.
Let’s see how the upper house decides on the matter. I don’t think the president will have much scruples signing the order once it is passed over to him.
